Hydraulic press



Feb., 11, 1936. L. A, MQLJN 2,039,387

mfDRAULIc vPRESS Filed sept. 25, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 1 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y

HYDRAULIC PRESS Louis A. Molin, Chicago, Ill. I Application September 25,1933, Serial No. 690,862

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a hydraulic press and more particularlyv` to a device of this character which is utilized for the extraction of oils and greases from oil-bearing seeds, animal tissues or ,5 cracklings, and other oil-bearing materiais whose contents may be substantially removed by the application of pressure, with or without the addition of heat. y

The press described and claimed in the present application is an improvement on that type of press in which thereis employed a curb cylinder that is provided with a tamping o-r pre-pressing ringat one end and a principal ram at the opposite end, the tamping ring acting to fully charge 15 the curb and the principal ram moving in a direction opposite to that of the tamping ring to effect the extracting operation, this arrangement resulting in certain economies in the overall length of the press owing to the necessity for moving the principal ram only a short distance. The ram is also provided with an extension that encloses a steam coil thatV applies heat to the material being compressed substantially throughout the length of the curb in order to maintain the charge in the curb at a temperature that will facilitate the extraction of the oil therefrom.

It is one of the objects if the present invention to further improve the eiiciency of the indicated press and to further reduce the distance through which it is required to move the principal ram by holding the freely slidable curb in the position to which it has been shifted during the compressing of the material by the ram and to thereafter return the ram to original position which provides with the then-shifted curb an opening through which the residue cake may be discharged by the continued movement of the tamping member.

A further object is to provide a hydraulic press of the character indicated in which an oil seal ring is interposed between the ram and the oil pan and maintained in contact with the oil pan during the shifting movement of the curb in order to prevent any seepage of the extracted oil along the wall of the ram piston, this oil seal ring being engaged by the ram during its retracting movement to provide the 4discharge opening above referred to, and the curb re-engaging the sealing ring after the residue cake has been completely evacuated.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are eifectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of my improved press, the several parts being shown in curb-charging position.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the press, as viewed in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1, sh'owing the upperheader ofthe press and the location of the hydraulic cylinders forming part of the mechanism for actuating the tamping ring and for V5 holding the curb in its raised position.

Fig. 3 is a View ofthe lower portion of the press as viewed in the direction of the arrow -3 in Fig. 1 showing'thelaterally directed chutes onto which the residue cake is discharged. 10

,Figs 4 and 5 are elevations, partly in section, corresponding to the view shown in Fig. 1, illustrating rthe-ram in the act of compressing the material in the curbI and the tamping ring discharging the residue cake through the opening 1'5 between thecurb an'd ram, respectively.

The specic Vembodiment of my invention, as set forth 'in the present application, rela-tes to a press for the extraction of greases from animal casings'or cracklings, but it will be understood 20 that thejbroader phases thereof are likewise applicable to the general' extraction of uid from any material thatmay'be subjected to pressure fo-r this purpose.

Referring vto Fig. 1 of the drawings, -the nu- 25 meral I0 designates a suitable foundation which is provided with a pocketY I I. The sides of this pocket are recessed -to receive a pair of girders I2 upon each of which'rests a pair of nuts I3 that are mounted-upon the lower yends of a pair of 30 tie rods I4 that extend upwardly through the adjacent end of a lower header I5. In plan view, the header I5 possesses the generally rectangular formationV shown in Fig. 2 and a tie rod I4 is located adjacent -each corner thereof. The rod 35 I4 Vprojects upwardly through an upper header I6 which possesses'a marginal outline similar to that of the lower header and on the upper ends of the rods I4 are mounted nuts I'I similar to the nuts I3. The lower and upper headers are 40 maintained in abutting relation to their associated nuts I3 and I'I by means of clamping co1- lars I8. The headers and tie rods constitute a box-like structure which forms the principal framing of the press and the entire weight of 45 vWhich/is carried on the girders I2.

An hydraulic cylinder I9 is preferably integrally formed with the header I5 and extends downwardly in the pocket Il. A piston 20 is reciprocably mounted in the cylinder I9 and actuating fluid, such as oil or the like, may be introduced into the cylinder by means of a pipe 2| that is in communication with a remote pumping mechanism.

An annular shell 22 projects upwardly above 55 the head 23 of the piston and has seated onv the upper end thereof a ram 24. A sleeve-like portion V25 extends from the under side of the ram and isguidably received within the interior of the shell 22 sothat when iluid is introduced into the 60 cylinder I9, the piston 20 and the ram 24 move as a unit. A hollow stem 26 projects upwardly from the ram 24 in axial alignment with the cylinder I9 and encloses a steam coil 21 into which steam or other suitable heating medium is delivered and exhausted from by means of pipes 28 and 29, respectively, which extend upwardly through a frusto-conical cover 30 mounted on the upper end of the stem 26. The steam pipes 28 and 29 also pass upwardly through a supply pipe for the oil-bearing material as hereinafter described.

The squeezing surface 3l of the ram is preferably inclined outwardly from the stem 26, as shown in Fig. 1, and a pair of knife-like formations 32 are located on this surface on opposite sides of the steam chamber. As many of these formations may be employed as the conditions of operation require and they are intended to cooperate with a tamping ring, presently described, for breaking up the residue cake into smaller fragments during the discharging operation.

The ram 24 normally closes the lower end of a curb 33 which comprises a plurality of axially spaced rings 34 that are internally connected by means of longitudinally-extending bars 35. As shown clearly in Fig. 1, the bars are arranged in the manner of barrel staves, but are spaced circumferentially from each other suilicient to provide openings 36 which are large enough to permit of the easy iiow of oils or greases therethrough, while substantially restricting the outward movement of solid material when under pressure. Secured to the lower ends of the bars 35 is an oil pan 31 whose inner face 38 is tapered upwardly for a purpose presently explained, but which is substantially a continuation of the inner faces of the curb bars 35. Oils or greases which may collect in the oil pan 31 are evacuated through a flexible hose 39 and in order to maintain the oil in this pan above the congealing point and so facilitate its handling, the pan embodies an internal annular passage 40 which, on one side of the press is in communication with a flexible, steam inlet hose 4I and on the opposite side with a corresponding exhaust hose 42.

The tapered face 38 of the oil pan engages with a correspondingly shaped face on an oilsealing ring 43 whose inner face is in sliding engagement with the annular projection 22 on the piston 20. These opposite faces of the sealing ring may be provided with suitable packing in order to prevent any leakage of the extracted oil between the ring and pan and between the ring and piston 2U. In the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, the upper side of the ring is in engagement with a shoulder 44 which is provided on the ram, while the lower side of the ring is engaged by a plurality of coil springs 45 whose lower ends are mounted in suitable pockets 46 provided on the lower header I5. The extending action of these springs maintains sealing contact between the ring 43 and pan 31 not only in the position shown in Fig. l, but also in the shifted position of the curb during the principal compressing step of the operation.

In order to provide for the free movement of the curb along the rods I4 during the principal squeezing operation, arcuate shoes 41 are attached to the upper curb rings 34 and to the oil pan. The curb is free to move upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, but movement downwardly is restricted by a plurality of clamping collars 48, one for each of the rods I4.

A supply tube 49 is slidably mounted in the upper header I6 in axial alignment with the cylinder I9 and through this tube is delivered the oil bearing material to the annular compression chamber 50 located between the curb and stem 26. The lower end of the tube 49 projects below the upper header and has attached thereto a tamping ring 5I whose dimensions are such that it fits closely in the curb chamber 50.

The tamping ring is hydraulically actuated by means of a plurality of piston rods 52 which project upwardly through the header I6 into cylinders 53 mounted on the upper side of the header. A piston 54 is attached on the upper extremity of each piston rod 52 and this piston is of the double acting variety. Actuating fluid is introduced into the cylinders above the pistons 54 by pipes 55 to thereby move the tamping ring downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, while a reverse movement of the ring is eiected by the delivery of fluid into the cylinders below the pistons through pipes 56, it being understood that the pipes 55 and 56 are in communication with a suitable pump mechanism.

A pair of cylinders 51 is also provided on the upper header on opposite sides of the vertical axis of the press and within each of these cylinders operates a piston 58 having a piston rod 59 whose lower end is provided with an arm 66 that engages with the under side of an upper curb ring 34. At an appropriate time in the operation of the press, as hereinafter explained, actuating fluid is introduced into the cylinders 51 below the pistons 58 through pipes 6I to hold the curb in its raised position.

A pair of oppositely extending chutes 62 are carried by the lower header I5 and are sodisposed with reference to the lower end of the compression chamber 5IJ that, when the ram 24 is moved downwardly upon the completion of the pressing operation t0 provide a discharge opening for the residue, the latter will fall directly on the chute on opposite sides of the press for subsequent transfer to containers, belt conveyors, or the like.

In the operation of the press, it will be understood that, when the several parts of the press are occupying the relative positions shown in Fig. l, the press is in condition to be charged, since the ram is closing the lower end of the curb, while the tamping ring is suiciently elevated to provide communication between the interior of the curb and the supply tube 49 through which the oil-bearing material passes by gravity. The material is permitted to flow into the curb until the curb has become loosely packed, whereupon the tamping ring is moved downwardly to more completely pack the initial charge, which movement may also effect some degree of compression that may be suflicient to extract some oil from the material. The ram may be maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1, either by an appropriate pressure established in the cylinder I9, or by actually abutting against the bottom of this cylinder, so that they raam serves as an abutment against the pressing action of the tamping ring. The tamping ring is thereupon retracted to permit an additional accumulation of loosely packed material in the curb, followed by another tamping operation to compress this portion of the charge, and these steps may be repeated as often as is desirable until the curb has been completely charged with pre-pressed, oil-bearing material. During this entire operation, as well as during all subsequent operations of the press, steam or some vframe of the machine.

"ramada-e7 B other heating medium :is continually .passing through the heating .coil 21e;sothattheioil' in :its passage outwardly between thefcu'rbis'b'arsr 'is/.never given an opportunityfto-scongeal. .Steamxiszalso constantly passing through the steam space 1in the oil pan, :so thatgrease 'which collected therein. is always maintained rinfatiiuid :condition.

Upon the completion fof ithe'iinalitamping operation, that is, after the "curbwhas acquired :its maximum charge, 'thesdownwardlyacting 'hydraulic pressure on 'the'tampingxring is. relieved and fluid undery vpressurewisrintroiduced ninto rv.the

cylinder I9 to therebytcause'an actuation of'zthe ram '24 upwardly. .Thetouter curb, owing'toits substantially .floating'mounting on `the tie zrods I4, moves upwardly with 4the' .ram -during '.'the initial phases of the latters/movement and .this upward movementof the ram.y also causeszan upward movement of :thetamping'ring until the latter abuts against the underside of the upper header I6 which thereafter lresists lthe pressure created by the ram, so that the upper .thrust 4of the ram is takensubstantially Aby `the .principal The extracted oils and greases flow radially-of thecurb .for-discharge through the openings between the curbbars and subsequent collection Yinthe oil :tankgthe steam in the chamber -50 :maintaining the chargein the curb at the'most .satisfactory extractingztemperature.

The final act of vcompression isV more particularly illustrated in Figsfi and .it-,will be particularly Anoted that the ram has-become separated from the sealingring 43,fbut .that'the-.latter not only maintains sealingfcontact with the-annular extension on the piston .;20,.but..also v'with the tapered-inner face ofthe oil panby .reason Aof the extending action of athesprings-. IAny seepage of the oil between .the-ring-and -pistonextension and between the Iring "and Voil pan. is therefore positively prevented zand such .oil as Amay .collect on the top surface of thermgsiiows-.ontwardly into the oil` pan.

Upon the completion ofvthe'main pressingoperation, fluid is introduced intox-the cylinders-.51 below the pistons .-58 for the :purpose of `temporarily restraining any tendency `of the :curb to move downwardly. At thefsame-time, .pressure in the cylinder i9 is relieved and fluid underpressure is introduced into-.the..cylinders `53 vabove the pistons 54 in order .to Y.move .the Itamping .ring downwardly. downwardmovement of Vthe Jcamping ring acts through .the .residue caketo move the ram-and thesealingring engagedthereby downwardly until .the ram reaches its'lowermost position as indicatedin Fig. l. "Since theouter curb is maintained inthe `raised position. shown in Figs. 4 land 5, this downward shift of the ram creates an annulardischarge opening 63, as clearly shown in Fig. "5, -between the oil pan and the ram through whichlthe residue cake is discharged onto the chutes'6`2 'by'thefcontinuing movement of the tampingring yand, during vthis' action, this cake is split .by the :knife blocks 1.32.

After the discharging action is completed, the tamping ring is retracted upwardly by. hydraulic pressure and the pressure in the cylinders A51 is relieved to permit a dropping of the curb to the position shown in Fig. 1 by gravity, whereupon the fresh material in the supply pipe is again free to move downwardly into the curb chamber for subsequent treatment by the tamping ring.

A press of the foregoing character possesses several important operating advantages from the :standpointof efciently'handling the oil or greasebearing 'materials v:is *loaded and unloaded automatically, without In the first place, the press any necessity for manual labor of any character,

other'than an operator to control the admission rof :pressure to the several hydraulic cylinders.

The tamping or pre-pressing movements of the `tamping ring insure that the curb will be loaded fto its maximum capacity for each cycle of operation, Iso that the press operates at maximum --efliciency at all times, regardless of the native,

loosenature of the material. By holding the curb in itsjuppermost position to provide a discharge opening, it is possible to restrict the principal ram to relatively short movements, thus securing certain economies in the operation of the pumping mechanism which supplies uid to the cylinder l`9. Moreover, the oil seal ring provides a very effective method of preventing any leak- 'age along the anuular extension on the piston `and the construction is such that it does not interfere with the downward movement of the ram -to provide the discharge opening indicated above.

I claim:

1. An hydraulic press comprising in combination, a freely slidable curb, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retactible to its Vinitial position, the curb moving with the ram during the initial stage of compression and the ram thereafter moving relative to the curb until Ycompression is complete and the ram in its retracted position defining an opening with the adljacent end of the shifted curb, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, and positively actuated means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

2. Anhydraulic press comprising in combination, a, freely slidable curb, a ram normally closing one end of said curb, said ram being movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its initial position and the curb movingwith the-ram during the initial stage of compression 'and the ram thereafter moving relative "to the curb until compression is complete, means `for 'holding the curb in its shifted position to .thereby define an opening with the ram when the latter is retracted 'to its initial position, and

positively actuated means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

3. An'hydraulic press comprising in combination, a freely slidable curb, a ram normally closing one end of the curb and movable to compress the material in the curb, the curb moving with .the`ram during Athe initial stage of compression and the ram thereafter moving relative to the curb until compression is complete, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, and means "for-returning the ram to its initial position while the curb is being held in its shifted position to Athereby create .an opening between the shifted curb and ram, said last named means also discharging the residue cake through the opening.

thereby form an opening between the curb and ram through which the residue cake is discharged by the continued movement of the tamping member.

5. An hydraulic press of the vertical type comprising in combination, curb guides, a curb freely slidable along the guides, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its initial position, the curb moving with the ram during the initial stage of compression and the rain thereafter moving relative to the curb until compression is complete and the ram. in its retracted position dening an opening with the adjacent end of the shifted curb, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening, said curb returning by gravity to its initial position when the holding means is released.

6. An hydraulic press comprising in combination, upper and lower headers, curb guides connecting the headers, a curb freely slidable on the guides, a tamping member and a ram located adjacent the opposite ends of the curb, respectively, means for actuating the member and ram in opposite directions at different times to fully charge and compress the material in the curb, respectively, the curb moving with the ram during the initial stage of compression and the ram thereafter moving relative to the curb until compression is complete, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, and means for moving the tamping member to thereby return the ram to a position defining an opening with the shifted curb through which the residue cake is dis-v charged by the continued movement of the tamping member.

'7. An hydraulic press comprising in combination, a slidable curb, a collecting pan carried by the curb, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its initial position, the curb moving with the ram during compression, a sealing ring having sealing contact with the curb and ram and adapted to direct the expressed fluid into the pan, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, the ram moving the ring during its retracting movement to provide a discharge opening with the adjacent end of the shifted curb, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

8. An hydraulic press comprising in combination, a slidable curb, a collecting pan carried by the curb, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its initial position, the curb moving with the ram during compression, a sealing ring having sealing contact with the curb and ram and adapted to direct the expressed fluid into the pan, means for maintaining contact of the ring with the curb during its shifting movement, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, the ram moving the ring during its retracting movement to provide a discharge opening with the adjacent end of the shifted curb, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

9. An hydraulic press comprising in combination, a slidable curb a collecting pan carried by the curb, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its initial position, the curb moving with the ram during compression, a sealing ring having sealing contact with the curb and ram and adapted to direct the expressed fluid into the pan, springs for maintaining contact of the ring with the curb during the latters shifting movement, means for holding the curb in its shifted position, the ram moving the ring during its retracting movement to provide a discharge opening with the adjacent end of the shifted curb, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

10. An hydraulic press comprising in combina.- tion, a slidable curb, a collecting pan carried by the curb, a ram normally closing one end of the curb, said ram being movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to initial position and the curb moving with the ram during compression, a sealing ring adapted to direct the expressed iiuid to the pan and having sealing contact with the curb and ram and adapted to be engaged by the ram during the latters retracting movement, means for holding the curb in shifted position upon the completion of compression, the retracting movement of the ram shifting the sealing ring from contact with the pan to thereby provide an opening with the adjacent end of the curb, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening.

11. An hydraulic press comprising in combina.- tion, a slidable curb, a collecting pan carried by the curb, a tamping member and a ram located adjacent the opposite ends of the curb, respectively, means for actuating the member and ram in opposite directions at different times to fully charge and compress the material in the curb, respectively, the curb moving with the ram during compression, a sealing ring having sealing contact with the curb and ram and adapted to direct the expressed iluid into the pan, the ring being adapted to be engaged by the ram during the latters retracting movement, means for holding the curb in its shifted position upon the completion of compression, and means for actuating the tamping member to thereby move the ram and sealing ring to a position providing a discharge opening with the curb through which the residue cake is discharged by the continued movement of the tamping member.

12. An hydraulic press of the vertical type comprising in combination, curb guides, a curb freely slidable along the guides, a ram movable to compress the material in the curb and retractible to its normal position, the curb moving with the ram during compression, a collecting pan surrounding the lower end of the curb and attached thereto, a sealing ring having sealing contact with the curb and ram and engaged by the latter, the ring being adapted to direct the expressed fluid into the pan, means for holding the curb in its shifted position upon the completion of compression, the ram moving the ring during its retracting movement to provide a discharge opening with the adjacent end of the shifted curb, and means for discharging the residue cake through the opening, said curb returning by gravity to its initial position in contact with the sealing ring when the holding means is released.

LOUIS A. MOLIN. 

